Ignition apparatus



Feb. 10, 1931. w. A. CHRYST IGNITION APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15, 1929 Patented Feb. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM A. CHBYST, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO DELCO-BEMY CORPORATION,

OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE rom'rron arraaa'rus Application filed rebmar 1511929, Serial No. 340,113.

- This invention relates'to ignition apparatus for internal "combustion engines and more particularly to ignition timing devices which are responsive tokvariations in engine load conditions in order that the timing of the ignition spark may be varied in response to variations in engine operating conditions. 1 It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide means for controlling the tim- 1e ing of the ignition spark in response to varivide an ignition timer which has in addition to the features mentioned in the foregoing 25 paragraph, a mechanism which is responsive to-engine speed for varying the ignition timmg. I

V Further objects and advantages of the present inventionwill be apparent from the folse lowing description, reference being had to the accompan ing drawings, whereinj a preinvention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is, in part a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view of the ignition apparatus, embodying the present invention, and in part a diagrammatic illustration of the manner of connecting the suction device of the ignition,

,and the head 3.4 is attached to the housing 24.

) ferred form 0 the embodiment of the present,

Fi 4 plan view of a piston included in carrying a bearing 22 for the drive shaft 23. The housing supports a tubular circuit interrupter base 24 having a horizontal wall 25 supporting a ball bearing 26 for a driven shaft 27. The driven shaft 27 is connected with a timer cam 28 which supports and drives a distributor rotor 29. The rotor 29 carries a rotating conductor 30, the inner end of which cooperates with a spring pressed conductor button 31 electrically connected 80 with a metal socket 32 in the center cable receiving socket 33 of a non-conducting dis- .tributor'head 34. The rotor conductor swings past the plurality of distributor posts 35 arranged in a circular row and each ex-, 6 tending downwardly from a metal cable receiving socket 36 embedded in a non-conductingsleeve 37 integral with the distributor head 34. By any suitable means the interrupter housing 24 is attached to the cup 20 The circuit interrupter comprises a pair of cooperating timer contacts 40 and 41 attached respectively to a circuit breaker lever 42 and a contact adjusting screw 43, the latter being threadedly connected with an ear 44standing upright from a bracket .45 which is pivotallyconnected by screw 46 with a bracket 47. a The lever 42 carries a rubbing block 48 which cooperates with the cam 28.

A circuit interrupter terminal 49, which is insulatingly supported by the housing 24, is electrically connected by a leaf spring 50 with the breaker lever 42, and the spring serves to urge the lever 42 toward the cam 28, the lever-42 bein pivoted upon a stud' 51 attached to the bracket 45 and being" insulated from the stud 51. Obviously when the cam 28' is, rotated the contacts 40 and 41 will alternately engage to complete the igni: tion'primary circuit in the usual manner of battery type ignition and thenseparate to affect the-induction of a sparking impulse.

In'order, manually, 'to adjust the timing of the ignition, the bracket 45 may be adju'st- 95 ably secured to the bracket 47 which .i'sattached by any suitable means, not shown,

' with the horizontal wall 25 of the housing 24.

This adjustment is accomplished by turning- I a rotatable stud having a screw-driver slottion is not limited to the use with such an ted head 55 and an eccentric shank 56 pivotally attached to the bracket 47, said head being received by a slot 57 in the bracket 45.

It will be apparent that, by turning the head- 55, the bracket 45 will rotate slightly with respect to the pivot screw 46 in order to vary the position of the rubbing block 48 with respect to the cam 28. After the adjustment has been made, the bracket 45 is clamped to the bracket 47 by a screw 58 having threaded engagement with the bracket 47 and passing through a slot 59 which is arcuated with respect to the pivot screw 46.

For purposes of high speed ignition, the ignition apparatus may include an additional circuit interrupter comprising a pair of contacts 60 and 61 attached respectively to a circuit. breaker 63 and to a contact screw 64 threadedly engaging an ear 65 standing upright from the bracket 47. The lever 63 is insulated from and pivoted upon a stud 66 attached to the bracket 47. A leaf spring conductor 67 connects a terminal screw 68 with the lever 63 and also tends to urge a rubbing block 69 attached to the lever toward the cam 28. The screw 68 is connected with the terminal 49 by a strap 70. In this way the circuit interrupters are connected in parallel and are operated alternately by the cam 28 so that the ignition primary circuit will be interrupted first by one pair of contacts 40 and 41 and then closed again and then opened by the other pair of contacts 60 and 61. While the form of invention illustrated shows an ignition timer having two interrupters, it will be understood that the inveninterrupter but can be applied to an ignition timer having any number of interrupters.

The drive shaft 23 and the driven shaft 27 are connected by a centrifugal mechanism 80 and an engine suction responsive device 100. The centrifugal mechanism 80 comprises a weight plate 81 attached to and driven by the drive shaft 23. The plate 80 supports weights 82 pivoted upon a stud 83 and having arms 84 which cooperate with lever arms 85 provided by a single plate which is attached to the tubular shank 86 of a cylindrical member 87 comprising an intermediate drive shaft which is rotatable upon the tubular extension 88 of the drive shaft 23. The outward movement of the weights 82 due to increasing the speed of the shaft 23 is resisted by springs 89* which are attached to the studs 83 and to studs 90 pro vided by the arms 85. The springs 89 tend normally to. maintain the weights in the inner position shown in Fig. 3.

The suction responsive device 100 comprises cooperating piston and cylinder members, the cylinder being provided by the tubular intermediate shaft 87 and the piston being indicated by numeral 101. The piston 101 carries a cross pin 102. which extends into the bearing 22 and the timer housing shank 21. The duct 109 is connected by an elbow 110 with a pipe 111 which is connected by a coupling 112 with a passage 113 provided in the side wall of a carburetor 114 and located so that when the carburetor throttle 115 is closed or in engine idle position, the passage 113 will be located anterior to the throttle. In this way the suction chamber provided by the cylinder 87 and the piston 101 will be cut ofi from engine suction and the spark will not be advanced due to engine suction while the engine is idling. The throttle 115 is operated in any convenient manner represented conventionally by a lever 116 connect; ed with the throttle shaft and operated by a rod 117 connected with a lever or other device not shown in convenient reach of the operator. The piston 101 is normally maintained in the upper position shown in Fig. 1 by a spring 120 which tends to maintain the spark in retarded position.

The control mechanism illustrated is designed for an ignition timer in which the cam normally rotates clockwise as viewed from Fig. 2. As the speed of the shaft 23 increases, the weights 82 will move outwardly from the shaft in order to rotate the arms clockwise and hence rotate the cam 28 clockwise to advance the spark. As the engine speed decreases, the springs 89 will be permitted to operate to move the weights 82 inwardly due to the cooperation between the arnis 85 andthe weight arms 84.

- The suction responsive device operates in the following manner. Assuming that the engine throttle remains in a certain open position andthat the engine speed increases,

the suction in the intake manifold 106 will increase thereby causing the piston 101 in the suction chamber within the cylinder 87 to move downwardly against the resistance of the spring 120. This will cause the tubular extension 105 of the driven shaft 27 to be rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2, inorder to advance the spark. As the load on the engine is increased, the throttle 115 must be opened wider. This will result in a decrease in suction in the intake 106, the engine speed not increasing, hence the spring 120 will be effective to cause the piston 101 to move upwardly to a certain position in order to retard the spark.

It is apparent from the foregoing de *scription of the construction and mode of the an operation of the present invention, that there has been provided a simple and compact ignition unit which comprises the centrifugal and suction controls for the ignition timing. The apparatus can readily be assembled or disassembled. One assembly unit comprises the distributor head34 and arts carried thereby; another assembly unit is carried by the, interrupter housing 24 and includes the circuit interrupters, rotor 29, the cam 28 and the tubular extension 105 of the shaft 27 and the third sub-assembly comprises the cup-shaped timer housing 20 and parts supported thereby including the drive shaft 23, the speed responsive mechanism 80, the driven shaft 27 and parts contained therein, namely, the spring 120 and the piston 101. It is apparent that the tubular memhers'87 and 105 can readily be separated simply, by separating the subassemblies carried by the housings 24 and 20.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows: 1. Ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination,

a circuit interrupter, a cam ;for operating the interrupter, axially aligned driving and driven shafts for rotatlngthe cam, and means for connectin the shafts and for varying the angular relation between them, said means comprising telescopically engageable tubular members connected respectively with said shafts, one of the members providing a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder member, means so connecting the piston with said tubular members that axial movement of the piston will change the angular relation between said members, and ducts connecting the cylinder member with the intake of an engine.

2. Ap aratus according to claim '1 in which tiie piston carriers a pin which extends into a longitudinal slot in one of the tubular members and into an oblique slot in the other tubular member.

3. Ignition apparatus for internal com.- bustion engines comprising, in combination, a circuit interru ter, a cam for 0 rating the interrupter, axially aligned riving and driven shafts for rotating the cam, and means for connecting the shafts and for varying lar relation between them, said means including a speed responsive mechanismand a device responsiveto engine intake suction, said device comprising a pis-.

tonrota-table with said shafts and cooperating with-"a cylinder communicating with the intake of an engine.

4. Ignition apparatus for internal combastion engines comprising, in combination, a. circuit interrupter, a cam for'operating tion engines comprising, in combination, a

circuit interrupter, a cam for operating the interrupter, axially aligned driving and driven shafts for rotating the cam, and means for connecting the shafts and for varying the angular relation between them, said means including a speed responsive mechanism and a device responsive to engine intake suction,

said device comprising a suction chamber device rotatable with said shafts and having a movable wall communicating with the intake of an engine.

6. Ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination, a

circuit interrupter, a cam for operating the interrupter, a drive shaft; an intermediate shaft and a ,driven shaft for rotating the cam; a centrifugal mechanism for connecting the drive shaft and the intermediate shaft and for changing the angular relation between them and comprising a weight plate attached to the drive shaft, weights movably supported by the weight plate, and lever arms attached to the intermediate shaft and cooperating with the weights; and "a device responsive to engine intake suction for connecting the intermediate shaft with the driven shaft and for varying the angular relation between them, said device comprising cooperating cylinder and plston members rotatable with said shafts the cyllnder being connected with the lever arms of the centrifugal mechanism, and being in commue nication with the intake of an engine.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the suction device comprises telescop cally engageable members one of which constitutes the intermediate shaft and the other the drive shaft, a piston movable in one of the members which is in communication with an engine intake, and means so connecting the piston with said tubular members'thajt axial movement ofthe piston changes the angular relation between said members.

8. Ignition apparatus for internal combuss tion, on 'nes comprising, in combination, a circuit mterrupter, a cam for operating the interrupter; a shaft supporting said cam, said-shaft having a recessed end; a drive shaft provided with a recessed-end member;

carried by the pistonand the recessed ends of both shafts, operatively connecting the shafts and rotatablyfadjusting one shaft relative to the other in response to movements of the piston in the cylinder,v 9. Ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination, a circuit interrupter, a cam for operating the interrupter; a shaft having a cup-shaped end and supporting the cam at the other end; a m drive shaft provided with a cup-shaped end member; a cylinder formed by the telescopic engagement of the cup-shaped ends of the two shafts; a piston in said cylinder; a spring yieldably urging the piston to one end of the y cylinder; and a pin carriedtransversely of the piston and engaging the two shafts, operatively to connect them and to adjust one shaft rotatably relative to the other in re-- sponse to movements of the piston within the 2Q cylinder. a

10, Ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising, .in combination, a circuit interrupter, a cam for operating the interrupter; a shaft supporting the cam at one end and having a cup-shaped portion at its other end, provided with diametrically opposite slots oblique to the axis of the shaft; a drive shaft; a cup-shaped member carried by the drive shaft and telescopically engaging the cup-shaped portion of the aforementioned shaft, said cup-shaped member having diametrically opposite slots substantially parallel with the axis of theshaft; a piston in the chamber formed by the telescopically engaging cup shaped shaft portion and member; and means provided-by the piston, extending into the oblique and parallel slots of the shaft and member respectively, said means operatively connecting the two so 40 that they will rotate together, and being adapted to adjust the shaft rotatively rela: two to the cup-shaped member in response'to movement of the piston in its chamber.

11. Ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination,

a circuitinterrupter, a, cam for operating the interrupter; a driven shaft supporting the cam; a drive shaft; telescopically enaging cup-shaped portions provided, one on t e drive. shaft the other .on the driven shaft, one cup-shaped portion having diametrical- 1y opposite slotssubstanfially parallel to the axes of the shafts, the other having similar slots oblique to said axes; a piston in the 5 chamber formed by the telescopically engaging cup-shaped portions apin transverse- 1y of the'piston and extending into the slots of both cup-shaped ortions a spring engaging the piston yiel ably to urge the piston to one end of its chamber; and means connecting said 'chamber with the intake of the englue. 7 r In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

cs 4 r WILLIAM A. CHRYST. 

